2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide
Our guide to the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party offers tips & info for Magic Kingdom’s fall special event at Walt Disney World. This includes dates, ticket prices & discounts, schedule & strategy for seeing the parade, fireworks, and characters, plus our review of MNSSHP and whether it’s worth your time & money.
For those unfamiliar with it, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a special event that occurs after Magic Kingdom closes for the day. It is separately ticketed, meaning you have to pay extra for the party if you’re already in the park as a day guest and want to stay through MNSSHP.
If you’re already wanting to plan ahead for the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the good news is that Walt Disney World has now released dates, prices, and select details (see below). Additionally, 2026 tickets are now on sale. If you want to be notified when what’s new for this year is announced, subscribe to our FREE Disney email newsletter. For now, here’s everything you need to know about the event…
As noted above, tickets for the 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party may now be purchased by calling 407-939-4240 or online at disneyworld.com.
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to the 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party—valid only for event nights from August 7 to October 2, 2026. Cast Members can also save on select nights. More details can be found on Cast Life Web or My Disney Today.
Here’s a handy list of dates & prices for this year’s MNSSHP:
August 2026 MNSSHP Dates & Prices
- August 7, 2026 – $159
- August 11, 2026 – $119
- August 14, 2026 – $119
- August 18, 2026 – $129
- August 21, 2026 – $139
- August 23, 2026 – $139
- August 25, 2026 – $144
- August 28, 2026 – $149
- August 30, 2026 – $149
September 2026 MNSSHP Dates & Prices
- September 1, 2026 – $149
- September 4, 2026 – $154
- September 8, 2026 – $154
- September 11, 2026 – $159
- September 13, 2026 – $159
- September 15, 2026 – $164
- September 18, 2026 – $169
- September 20, 2026 – $169
- September 22, 2026 – $169
- September 24, 2026 – $174
- September 25, 2026 – $179
- September 27, 2026 – $179
- September 29, 2026 – $184
October 2026 MNSSHP Dates & Prices
- October 1, 2026 – $189
- October 2, 2026 – $199
- October 4, 2026 – $199
- October 6, 2026 – $199
- October 8, 2026 – $204
- October 9, 2026 – $209
- October 13, 2026 – $209
- October 15, 2026 – $214
- October 16, 2026 – $219
- October 18, 2026 – $219
- October 22, 2026 – $219
- October 23, 2026 – $224
- October 25, 2026 – $224
- October 27, 2026 – $224
- October 29, 2026 – $224
- October 31, 2026 – $229
More generally speaking, MNSSHP tickets are almost always more expensive on weekends and as the event gets deeper into Halloween season. On average, September is more expensive than August and October is more expensive than September. This is again the pattern for 2026, so no surprise there.
Unless you’re planning on attending October 29th or 31st, you probably do not need to worry about 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets selling out…yet. Even with the last few years setting the record for sold out dates, it’s very uncommon for most dates to sell out before June.
The first date to sell out is always October 31st. Last year, it sold out the morning that tickets went on sale to the general public, which was far and away the fastest it had ever sold out. We would expect this to be true once again, with the possibility that October 29th also goes fast as a ‘consolation prize’ if Halloween itself is unavailable.
Expect the trio of $119 and $129 dates to be among the first to sell out, especially with so few of them. Last year, the next date to sell out was August 19th, which sold out on July 13th. This was one of the lowest-priced dates for MNSSHP, and those less expensive dates all sold out by early August. Opening night was next to sell out, which occurred on August 1st.
While tourists are largely locked into whatever travel dates they’ve already chosen, there’s a growing fanbase in Central Florida along with weekend warriors who take quick last minute trips. Many of them (or at least, enough of them) are budget-conscious, and they’ll take the tradeoff of cheaper (or rather, less expensive) tickets in exchange for miserable, costume-unfriendly weather.
Last year, many more dates sold out between early August and mid-September. There’s often a “run” on tickets around the time of the first party. Meaning that if you’re wanting to attend, we’d strongly recommend purchasing your tickets by or before August 7, 2026. A few dates will be sold out before then, but another half-dozen or so could sell out by that weekend.
Every single date has sold out for the last few years, with MNSSHP sales increasing even as the parks have otherwise slowed down post-pent-up demand. There’s really no reason to believe MNSSHP tickets will sell slower in 2026.
You might find that difficult to believe, but part of the Halloween Party’s popularity is because of the slowdown. Meaning that Floridians, fans, and other guests are “trading down” from expensive Annual Passes and regular tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
On top of that, an increasing number of guests are purchasing MNSSHP admission instead of regular day tickets, rather than in addition to regular admission. Part of this is the simple fact that MNSSHP tickets aren’t that much more expensive than regular tickets to Magic Kingdom for many dates. Plenty of guests will gladly take lower crowds, shorter wait times, and better weather in exchange for fewer hours.
For reference, last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was held on the following dates:
- August 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29
- September 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30
- October 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 31
The first MNSSHP was a full week later than normal, which we believe was a one-off due to Starlight. Walt Disney World never officially stated as much; that’s purely speculative on our part.
There were 38 parties each of the last two years, and again in 2026. This year, the event starts on August 7th, which is earlier than ever before and a full week before last year. Despite that, there are the same number of parties by virtue of lower concentration earlier in the event.
With that in mind, what follows is background and planning info for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, based on last year’s event. It’s unlikely that much will change for 2026…
If you’ve attended in the past, you might simply be wondering what will be different in 2026. That’s not yet known since nothing has been announced, but probably not a whole lot. If you’re wondering what was new last year, we covered all of that in What’s New for 2025 at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
During last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Princess Fairytale Hall was not a meet & greet location for the princesses. Instead, it was an enhanced treat trail that features two villains, Maleficent and the Evil Queen. These villains were in the queue in front of a portrait of their tale’s princess, as they mingled with guests and pose for selfies. It’s our understanding that this was a test to gauge guest response and potentially expand upon the concept for the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If it’s been a few years since you last attended MNSSHP, another change has been to the Boo to You Parade. It has received a number of updates, the most notable of which was the addition of Minnie Mouse as Winifred Sanderson, Daisy Duck as Sarah Sanderson, and Clarabelle Cow as Mary Sanderson. That wasn’t all–there were also major changes to the Halloween Hoedown unit (new scarecrow dancers and more) and an expanded Villainous Finale, among other things.
Still, calling these “major” changes is probably a stretch. The bottom line is that last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party wasn’t materially different from the one in 2019. Given that tickets continue selling out without changes, we’re guessing the MNSSHP of 2026 won’t change a whole lot, either.
If you’ve already purchased MNSSHP tickets and want something that synthesizes all of the basic info about the event into a step-by-step plan, see our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Itinerary. That’s more concise, leaving out a lot of background, crowd info, and the event is worth attending in the first place, all of which is covered in this post.
That party plan has also been updated based on our experiences at last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, meaning it incorporates everything that’s new and different this year. Even though the list of what’s changed is relatively short, it has major impacts on party planning and strategy.
Here’s everything else you need to know if you’re planning on attending the event…
Spanning portions of 3 different months, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party “season” is the longest special event at Walt Disney World. But in fairness, the only reason that Christmas isn’t longer is because the timing of Halloween prevents it. Disney probably would start celebrating Christmas in July–literally–if they could!
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place from 7 pm until midnight on evenings when it’s held. On MNSSHP dates, Magic Kingdom is open to regular guests from 8 am until 6 pm. (Despite the significantly shorter hours, these are good days to visit Magic Kingdom if you’re not attending the party.)
Ticket holders are admitted to Magic Kingdom as early as 4 pm on the valid date of their ticket–giving you more time to enjoy park favorites before the event begins. These date-specific event tickets do not require an additional day theme park ticket or theme park reservation.
If you do plan on entering the park as early as possible to take advantage of that ‘bonus’ time, we do have to warn you that the line gets long and you should probably arrive well in advance–or wait until the initial rush is over. See this post about Magic Kingdom “mix-in” crowds for photos of the lines and strategy.
Also during the party, you may have the opportunity to experience some of your favorite attractions, including the newly opened TRON Lightcycle Run and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Here’s the list of attractions that are open during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party:
Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Liberty Square
- Haunted Mansion
Fantasyland
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- “It’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mad Tea Party
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Storybook Circus
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
Tomorrowland
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
As for entertainment, here’s the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party schedule:
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
- August & September: 9:05 pm, 10:35 pm, 12 am
- October: 7:35 pm, 9:05 pm, 10:35 pm, 12 am
Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular
- 10:00 pm
Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade
- 8:15 pm and 11:15 pm
Halloween in Storybook Circus
- 7 pm until midnight
Descendents Dance Party
- 7 pm until midnight
Disney Jr. Dance Party
- 7 pm until midnight
Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet
- 7:00 pm, 7:45 pm, 8:45 pm, 9:35 pm, 10:30 pm
Rusty Cutlass Pirate Band in Adventureland
- 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm, 9:15 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:30 pm
Max Goof’s Powerline Party Pack
- Pre-Parade Appearances along Main Street USA and Town Square (front of park) only
The map does not list specific meet & greet locations, but we have you covered:
Main Street USA
- Sally & Jack Skellington – Town Square Theater (most popular meet & greet, line forms at 4 pm)
- Minnie & Mickey Mouse – Town Square Theater
Fantasyland
- Ariel and Prince Eric – Prince Eric’s Village Market
- Belle and Gaston – Maurice’s Cottage
- Tigger, Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore – The Thotful Spot near the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Drizella and Anastasia – Fantasyland (roaming)
- Pirate Goofy, Princess Daisy & Pumpkin Donald – Storybook Circus
Tomorrowland
- Elvis Stitch – Across from Monsters Laugh Floor
Adventureland
- Abu and Aladdin – Agrabah
- Genie – Agrabah
- Jafar – Near Agrabah
- Jack Sparrow – Near Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Country Bears – Country Bear Theater (roaming)
Speaking of locations, here’s where you can find trick or treating at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party:
Main Street USA
- Market Street Welcome Trick-or-Treating (open until 8:00pm)
Fantasyland
- Fantasyland Train Station
- Gaston’s Tavern
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Princess Fairytale Hall
Adventureland
- Tortuga Treasures
- Jungle Cruise
- Sunshine Tree Terrace
Frontierland
- Tom Sawyer Island Dock
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Liberty Square
- Columbia Harbour House
- Diamond Horseshoe
Tomorrowland
- Carousel of Progress
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
- TRON Lightcycle Run
Upon entering the park or picking up event wristbands, guests will be given a themed trick-or-treat bag (if you fill it up, trick-or-treat stations will have more available, so don’t worry). Candy is complimentary and unlimited–there’s no limit to how much trick-or-treating you can do during MNSSHP and it’s all free!
The above locations could vary slightly during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, so look for the giant inflatable pylon with M&Ms on it. These are brightly illuminated and should be near all of the above-referenced restaurants or rides–you can’t miss them!
If you have a food allergy, please see a Cast Member to pick up a teal-colored treat bag. When you trick-or-treat with your teal bag, you’ll receive a teal token at treat stations. Later on, you can redeem these teal tokens at the Allergy-Friendly Centers for special treats. Allergy-friendly treats can be found at the Liberty Square Ticket Office (available until midnight) and Chamber of Commerce on Main Street (available until 12:30 AM).
If you’re visiting Walt Disney World and are hoping to purchase last-minute tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on sold out dates, you might be able to do so outside the park at the Guest Relations window or inside City Hall on Main Street.
On occasion, there are same-day tickets available as a result of cancellations or other circumstances. If so, instead of the ‘sorry folks, tonight’s event is sold out’ sign pictured above, you’ll likely see one advising that a limited number of tickets are available for purchase.
For what it’s worth, we are not aware of any same-day MNSSHP tickets being sold recently. The most likely scenario for this to occur is when there are hurricane or other weather scares causing people to cancel their trips or plans. In other words, it’s a longshot–but worth trying, nevertheless!
As for the enhancements to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party from the past few years, the first is a replacement for Happy HalloWishes: the new “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.” These fireworks feature projections, pyro, and Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas as host.
Jack’s ghost dog, Zero, flies off to start this trick-or-treating adventure, where four friends — Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy — find themselves drawn into a mysterious haunted house. The journey takes them from one room of the house to another, encountering dancing skeletons, waltzing ghosts, and a series of troublemaking Disney villains.
There are also several attractions across the park receive special enhancements just for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party…
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor – When you follow the treat trail into the Monster World at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, you’ll interact in spooky ways with the comic cast of monsters, as they learn about the curious Human World holiday we call Halloween.
Mad Tea Party – The teacups take you for a colorful ride with added lighting and effects providing a different nighttime atmosphere.
Space Mountain – Rocket ships hurtle through deep space as a special soundtrack and effects transform the adventure.
So you can prepare for the Halloween Party now, here is our analysis based upon the last several years to help you determine whether this expensive hard ticket event is worth it to you, and if so, what your “Plan of Attack” should be to efficiently conquer the various offerings. Between this party and Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, plus improving weather, the fall months at Walt Disney World are one of our favorite times of year to visit!
Also note that this guide covers Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, not Mickey’s Halloween Party (now Oogie Boogie Bash) at Disneyland Resort. For info about the latter, read our comprehensive Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland!
Should You Attend?
Given the high cost of the hard ticket event, you might be trying to determine, “is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party worth the money?”
Our opinion on this question has changed over the years. It used to be an unequivocal yes. Then, as prices for the event nearly doubled, it became “yes if you want to splurge.” Now, with prices up and Walt Disney World, it’s harder and harder to justify. Tickets have nearly tripled in price in the last decade.
On a positive note, our anecdotal perception is that MNSSHP has been less crowded the last few years than it was in October 2019, but it’s still busier than prior to that. It’s hard to say whether the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will be more or less crowded than last year. It could be worse, but it’s also possible that Walt Disney World lowered the attendance cap after complaints and price increases.
We still love the event. We don’t love the crowds or prices, but we go anyway. Probably in part because of nostalgia and in part because we have a good time enjoying the experience at a more relaxed pace. We don’t follow our own itinerary in this post since we’ve seen/done 75% of these things in previous years, so the stakes aren’t as high for us, so to speak. It’s simply a fun, albeit overpriced event.
If you can approach it from the perspective of not having to accomplish it all and being willing to overpay a bit for a truly fun and spooky evening in Magic Kingdom, we say go for it. Just don’t expect to leave thinking, “that was really worth the money.” At this point, it’s hard to come to that conclusion.
There’s a lot of special entertainment including one of Disney’s best parades and a great fireworks show, a great ambiance to the party including special decorations and lighting, lots of unique character meet & greets, and even seeing other guests in Halloween costumes makes for a fun experience.
If you do decide to do the Halloween Party, make sure to buy your tickets in advance, and use any available discounts (Disney Vacation Club member, Annual Passholder, etc.). Tickets are more expensive on the day of the party, and several nights each year sell out completely. It’s wise to purchase party tickets early if you know you’re going. It would stink to wait until the last minute and have your dates sell out.
As for what you should do during the event, here are some of our favorite tips & tricks…
General Tips
The first important tip is to pick the best day on your trip for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Some nights are busier than others, and that post covers our tips for choosing the least-crowded dates. Disney prices these parties based on historical demand, so going on the cheapest party night you can is generally the best idea from both the perspective of saving money and avoiding crowds. Win-win!
The second most important tip is to arrive early. The event officially starts at 7 p.m., which is when all of the entertainment actually begins, but guests can enter with their event tickets as early as 4 p.m. If you do plan on taking advantage of this, plan to arrive by 3:30 pm, as there will be a long line to enter and it’ll likely take close to 30 minutes to get into the park around that time.
Before we were Annual Passholders, we’d plan on doing Disney Springs or a water park the morning we went to the Halloween Party, which allowed us to purchase 1-day less on our park tickets. We highly recommend that you do the same! In other words, if you normally would buy a 5-day ticket for your trip, buy a 4-day ticket and do something besides one of the 4 theme parks before 4 pm.
The additional day you’re not purchasing would have only added on ~$30 in cost to your total package, so we’re not talking a substantial amount here, but it makes the Halloween Party more economical. To save even more money on multi-day Walt Disney World tickets, we recommend buying from an authorized ticket broker selling cheaper tickets than you can buy directly from Disney.
Read our Tips for Buying Discount Walt Disney World Tickets Guide for more information about saving money on park tickets. You can’t buy Halloween Party tickets from these authorized ticket sellers, but the amount you save on your regular park tickets plus the savings on that extra day you’re not purchasing will help offset the added cost of the party tickets.
The next biggest tip is to wear a costume–and one that’s appropriate for Florida weather! Although Disney has had some tweaks to its security policy over the last few years, costumes are allowed for all guests.
Here’s Disney’s official word on costumes: “while costumed attire may be worn, guests ages 14 and older are strongly discouraged from wearing layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body as they may be subject to additional security screening. Additionally, costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.”
At least half of the Guests who attend the party wear costumes, and it’s a lot more fun if you do. You’re spending a fair chunk of change to attend one of these parties, make sure you get as much value for your money as possible by wearing a costume.
You don’t need to buy some expensive costume from the store–make one at home from items you buy at a thrift shop. Sarah and I attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as the following: astronauts; an elf and princess; and “Cute Minnie” and a Toy Story Alien, among other things. Most of the time, our costumes are pretty lame as compared to other guests, but we still have a lot of fun!
For costumes, go inexpensive, simple, and most importantly…LIGHTWEIGHT. We have a Guide to Halloween Costumes for the Disney Parks that covers the nuts and bolts. Suffice to say, we have worn heavier costumes, and let me tell you what a mistake that was. It may be cooler at nighttime in the fall, but it’s still Florida, and it’s still humid and hot.
A final tip is to pass on the Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace. This is comparable to the regular fireworks dessert party, except with Halloween-decorated desserts. (Read more in Dining & Dessert Parties During Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.)
Beyond being a waste of money, the dessert party is a waste of time. There are just too many other great things to do at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (it’s unlikely you can do all of the regular entertainment in a single night) to justify attending a dessert party. It’s just not worth taking the time from the regular awesome entertainment of the Halloween party to do this. Plus, the idea of another upcharge event within an upcharge event just makes us cringe.
With that said, let’s start to get into the details of arriving with a plan for how you should approach the evening entertainment and characters. We have a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Itinerary on Page 2.
Arrive at 4 p.m., grab an event map for a refresher as to what is located where and entertainment showtimes, eat an early dinner, do an attraction or two, and knock out a couple of daytime PhotoPass Magic Shots for Halloween. If you’re interested in ‘collecting’ all of the exclusive images during the event, see our Guide to ALL PhotoPass Magic Shots at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If at all possible, find a way to avoid trick or treating or save it until the end of the night. It is a major time drain, and you could buy a bag of candy yourself for like $3. It may be difficult to convince kids not to trick or treat, but if you can, find a way. There is so much entertainment during the Halloween Party that you won’t get everything done even if you don’t trick or treat and don’t do any attractions.
Which week is the least busy to visit Mickeys not so scary halloween party? Right now we are looking to book our trip during the first week… is that a bad idea
Thanks!
I don’t know about a specific week, but generally the closer to Halloween you go, the busier it is. Also, the least busy days are school nights.
I am taking my 18 and 21 year old to the party for the first time on Halloween night. I have two questions: one is that they are both very interested in whether or not Disney provides a treat bag or if they should bring their own? (I saw something somewhere that said they give out treat bags around Main Street somewhere, I think?) But if you can tell me if they have free bags or bags for sale, that would be great. And my second question is about the parade and fireworks. My 21 year old is in a wheelchair, are there special viewing areas for one or both of those events? I know Epcot has an area for wheelchair guests for their fireworks, so if there is one at MK, we would like to be able to plan for that. Any other tips? THANKS!
Yes, they give you bags when you enter the parks. Not sure about the viewing area, but I *think* there is one. I’d call and ask.
My family was at the Halloween party on Monday October 8. Our picture was taken for the newsletter by a staff member. Could you tell me where and when I can see those pictures ? Thank you!
We went to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party in Disneyland last week. The party and characters were fun, but we were really disappointed by the parade. My big “sell” to the family was the headless horseman. I love Disney parades, and always stake out our viewing area way in advance. At Disneyland, they had a “Costume Cavalcade”; not really a parade, and no headless horseman! Because of this, we weren’t able to get a good spot to watch the amazing fireworks. It was a total letdown.
Hello. Really cool breakdown of the party. We will be attending 10/18 for the first time. You really hyped me up for the 7 dwarfs. The print out of the party shows different places for character meet and greet but does not say which characters exactly. Where should I look for the 7 Dwarfs to be over by the tea cups as you indicate? Does Disney publish on the eve of the party which characters will be at which stations?
Hi I am looking to book for 31/10/12 and was wondering 1) does the trick or treat last all day or is it just 4pm onwards.
2) How do disney make sure you have a ticket for the 4PM onwards. How do they differntiate between normal party goers in order to get them out the park. don’t wanna pay $70 + tax to stay in the park if people that haven’t paid get to stay in for no extra cost. that would really annoy me
Thanks
Thanks
The party starts at 7pm, but you can get in with the event ticket at 4pm. Guests without party wristbands will have to leave the park starting at 7pm.
Is this 4 PM thing official? We have reservations to Cinderella’s castle at 5:20 on the day we arrive, which is also the day we want to go to the party. We are unlikely to even get to a park before 3 or so, and could definitely avoid going before 4. On the other hand, it would literally save us only $20 to shave a day off the tickets — I don’t really want to risk over $100 in a prepaid dinner reservation to save $20 in tickets, on the off chance that they change their policy and don’t let us in.
Yes, it is official–as of right now. The parties for this year have yet to start so I suppose the official policy could change between now and then, but I don’t see that happening.
LOVE the NASA outfits!!!
And if you don’t mind…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEip8VSllBE
🙂
Jud
Tom,
I am interested in some help figuring out how to set up my camera to take good pictures of the parade and fireworks. I have a Bridge Camera (Panasonic FZ200.) Any suggestions on manual settings?
We’re going to MNSSHP the first week of October. Hoping you have insight to a couple questions. We’re having dinner at GFR at 5pm and I’m wondering about the fastest way to MK (boat or monorail). Also, my kids will want to do some trick/treating. The schedule has T/T locations and also something called “trails” at a couple of ride queues. Do you know anything about these? The T/T locations seem so spread out. I don’t want to waste our time and miss the events and characters finding the candy. Thanks for all the other great info.
My family goes every year and always do the trick or treat! You don’t have to do the treat trails if you don’t want (but it’s a good way to hit 4-5 candy stops in about 5-10 minutes depending on how fast you walk). Also, the other treat spots are scattered around the park near the major attractions so you can pass through the lines very quickly. For example, there was a treat spot outside the speedway, a “trail” in the splash mountain line (where the line goes along the exit, and it had 3-4 treat spots) and one in the Pirates of the Caribbean line. All in all, it’s very manageable to hit the candy while you’re doing everything else in the park. The lines move fast and you get anywhere from a few pieces to a handful of candy at eat treat spot (watch the cast members for ultimate candy results). Also, there’s a treat spot that’s just just Werther’s in fantasy land. Last year, we even got a sneak peak of the new section before it was open to the public at our party!
Monorail is much faster than ferry to the MK, unless the line for the monorail is backed up into the plaza. The ferry takes a very long time to load, but can hold more people, so may be better in very crowded conditions.
Also, you can always take the Resort monorail to MK rather than the Express. A lot of people don’t realize that, so you may see a huge line for Express and virtually none for Resort monorail.
I am going to Disney in 3 weeks and I was happy to see this post. I was wondering what camera you used? For night pictures they turned out great. I have a dslr and hoping my night pics turn out that good.
We are about to book a last minute trip back to Florida for the Halloween parties and I would like to thank you for this blog and the great info on MNSSHP. It’s a great help and now I have some sort of idea of how to approach the night. Thanks 🙂
This may be a silly question… but since you buy the ticket for the party, and can be let in at 4pm….you don’t need a theme park ticket for that day correct?
Thanks- great blog post…..researching our trip next year and have now added this to our agenda!
You don’t need a ticket as long as you don’t want to enter before 4 pm, correct!
If I book a dinner res for a little earlier than 4:00 but do not have a park ticket, do you think we could get in for the reservation (like EPCOT does if we book the Princess breakfast in WS)? It’d be a great way to get my little ones in ahead of the 4pm rush and get their tummies fed before hand!
Probably not. The party technically starts at 7 pm, so you’re really pushing you’re luck trying to get in earlier than 4 pm.
Hey there me and a lady friend of mine are going to the not so scary halloween party and we were curious as to whether or not we would be allowed to dress up as flyyn rider and repunzel from the recently released tangled movie, do you have any idea if this would be permitted? or are you not allowed to dress as disney characters? any help would be greatly apprecitaed thank you for your time.
Absolutely you can dress as a Disney character, just remember if you look to much like them you will get stopped for autographs. This might interfere with your enjoyment. Just have fun with it!
You can not wear a costume that covers your face and or has any type of weapon attached to it.
Have you attended not-so scary Halloween at WDW and DL? Are the differences substantial? We’ve never attended the event and are planning a first visit to DL. We are wondering if we should make plans to attend the event there or wait until we can get back to WDW.
Thanks.
We have attended both…….Disneyland is better!!! Tons of special things to do and see….lots of special things in the Haunted Mansion!
I have to be bias because I love Halloween at WDW. 2011 at the Haunted Mansion was even more exciting because of the new cue and I loved talking to Lady Renata as she welcomed you to the mansion.
Hi there
We’re coming from the UK and hoping to attend on the 1st November, but I’m confused.
Is the park open as normal the rest of the day? do they throw you out at 4pm if you don’t have a Halloween party ticket? I had thought that the party was something you paid to attend at a certain location and the rest of the park was normal, now i’m panicking i’ve booked my hotel stays for a bad date.
The party looks awesome and we’d love to go, but wanted to do the park in the day too.
any advice?
Alicia, we were just there last week, and if you don’t have a Halloween party ticket, they let you stay in the Magic Kingdom until the party “officially” starts at 7pm. They let the Halloween party ticket holders in at 4pm. The Magic Kingdom operates normally until 7pm when the Halloween party offically starts.
Please explain how they get the people who were already there all day to leave at 7? I’m very annoyed that my whole life Disney has been open until midnight and now they’ve found a way to extort more $ so you can stay- if I buy a norm ticket and come in the morning I have to leave at 7- or I can buy a ticket to the party and come at 4- so how DO they get earlier guests to leave?
there are a couple of sites to present your MNSSHP hard ticket and they give you your special wristband.
After 7p, anyone without the wristband is to leave the park. I don’t know how this is enforced, but I think Disney character members do it very respectfully.
The MNSSHP isn’t every night, so if you want to stay until midnight and not buy the separate hard ticket — pick a day to go when it isn’t occurring and you can stay until the park closes.
It’s definitely enforced. Ask me how I know? LOL! We tried to stay for the Christmas party last year thinking there’s no way someone would notice 3 people in a sea of people waiting for the parade. Ha! Right before the parade started they send workers down looking for wristbands. If you don’t have one, you’re asked to leave. You can’t get on rides without one. You can’t get in restaurants without one. They’ve got it all mapped out.
JUST MAGIC KINGDOM CLOSES EARLY ON HALOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS PARTY NIGHTS. YOU CAN STILL GO LATE TO HOLYWOOD, EPCOT, ANIMAL KINGDOM. THEY ARE CORRECT, IF YOU ARE GOING TO THE SPECIAL PARTY, DONT WASTE ONE OF YOU PARK HOPPER DAYS. MY KIDS LOVE THE DANCE PARTY AS WELL AT THE PARTIES. WE HAVE DONE BOTH HALOWEEN AND CHRISTMAS. BOTH ARE VERY FUN.
They close everything down to people without wristbands. You cannot enter stores, restaurants, rides, or attractions so really all you could do is walk around the streets until someone notices you and they ask you to leave.
I thought I read it on your blog, but cannot remember. I know the party hours are 7-midnight. What time can we enter the park for the party????? We’re attending on 10/25/11. THANKS!!!!
You can enter the park at 4PM!!!
We are attending the same night!! It’s our first time at this party and we are super excited.
Kate we will be in Disney around the same time! I was debating on the 25th or 23rd and we chose the 23rd! You can enter at 4 pm!
I always looked at the parties (both MNSSHP and MVMCP) as very expensive to do things you can already do in the park anyway. Obviously there’s a lot more going on here…. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for the info! My husband and I are heading to MNSSHP this fall for the first time, and this was helpful in figuring out what to expect. One question though – you didn’t mention anything about going on the rides during the party. I would think one benefit of the $50+ ticket would be experiencing the attractions with less of a wait. Was it not worth “wasting” time on the attractions with so much else going on during the party?
We typically are so busy with the other activities, we don’t have time to ride the attractions!
We go every year the first week of Oct. Low wait times are a great benefit of going to the party, especially if you can out least all the little ones!
We did not take many character pics. After the fireworks show, there were little to no lines! We were able to ride Dumbo with unlimited wait and several other rides as well.
My husband really does not like crowds, and this was one of the few times I could get him on board to ride the rides due to the short wait/no wait.
Hey Tom, what sort of settings did you use for HalloWishes? Really looking to shoot that, I was just curious what glass and such you were using, and, if any, filters.
bulb mode and manual settings–it’s really no different than any of the other fireworks shows at the MK. I used my 18-200mm lens then @ 32mm. I probably will shoot from Casey’s this year, with the 11-16mm. Hope that helps!
Absolutely! Just was looking for another excuse to use my 30mm to shoot fireworks 😀
I frequently use the 30mm for Wishes, but wouldn’t for a hard ticket event due to the perimeter bursts.
Hi there! I couldn’t find a place to post a question. Is there anywhere for a meet and greet with Cruella on the nights of the party? My daughter is a HUGE cruella fan and I can’t find info about her anywhere. Also, is there any word about the Villains Soiree for this year yet?
Thanks!
What do you mean by perimeter bursts?
Hi. So to be clear I don’t need to buy additional MK tickets only use Mnsshp tixs to enter after 4pm, right?? Thank you.